As a Kid I never damaged myself in anyway. I didn’t get into any scrapes, I had no scars. And I often felt like it was a bit boring. I felt like I had lived my life a bit too secure. But that all changed one wonderful spring day in 2000.

Let me first tell you what I was up to on my mountain bike from Gary Fisher. It had been a good many years since these bikes came onto the scene It was a great bike to me; it gave me many miles of pleasure. I was 15 and still had two years to wait for my permits and full license in New Jersey. Playing on Road bikes and Mountain bikes was my only entertainment. I was okay to wait for my permit, but I didn’t want to stand still. I had to get out of the house. So I got on my bike and went for a ride. I got one-mile away from my home. Then twomiles away from my home. Then to the next town over. This town was one of my favorites that had lots of old factories overrun with grass. The yards were full of rotted and rusted Packards, the cars the factories used to make. These cars had always been a fascination to me and I wanted to get a closer look. I knew that some of the offices were still used. But I did not think anyone would mind me checking out some of the cars. I turned into one significant driveway loading dock to get a better look at a stretch Packard limousine as I turned the corner I didn’t notice that I had unintentionally steered my bike up the ramp of the loading dock. I turned off from the edge of the ramp without noticing I was already 3 1/2 feet in the air. I dropped to the ground and seeing the pavement getting closer and closer until my cheek hit the pavement and I saw light separate into the three primary colors.

Regardless of not being in much pain, when I saw the blood I didnt feel so good.. From there I knew I had to get assistance. I knew that I wasn’t feeling the pain right and that meant I had to get help. I have never had a real medical emergency, only a few close calls. I seemed to always be landing on the back of my head, as a child, slipping and falling, that sort of thing. I turned and called out to the office and a fellow quickly called and waved for me to come inside. Someone else helped me wash up some bleeding, while the secretaries tried to call my father to get him to take me to hospital.

Finally, One of my Father’s hygienists was available to pick me up and take me to the A & E. When I got there I had to wait. There was a guy waiting who had a nail protruding from his hand. I was not in pain, so it wasn’t that daunting, but I can see that if I was in pain, waiting in the emergency room would be the worst place in the world. Ultimately, I got four stitches to pull my ear back together. And today all is well with said ear, everything healed properly. That was one of the last emergency trips I ever made. And I no longer care about historic, mostly rusty, automobiles. My dad took me shopping for road bikes the very next day. Maybe I was spoiled but I didn’t quit.